THE military has successfully conducted 28 rotation and resupply missions at nine features occupied by Filipino troops in the West Philippine Sea in the South China Sea last year, the military reported yesterday.
Commodore Roy Vincent Trinidad, Navy spokesman for West Philippine Sea (WPS), said 14 of these rotation and resupply missions (RoRe) were at the Ayungin Shoal, with three of them water cannoned by Chinese vessels.
“Of the 28 missions (conducted in the West Philippine Sea last year), all were conducted successfully,” Trinidad told a press briefing at Camp Aguinaldo yesterday.
Trinidad said a RoRe mission is deemed successful if it was able to deliver supplies and if it executed the rotation of troops.
Philippine military resupply missions at Ayungin Shoal are escorted by Philippine Coast Guard ships. Military-chartered boats carry the supplies.
“There were specifically 14 RoRe missions for Ayungin… Of the 14 RoRe missions to Ayungin, three of them encountered illegal actions or harassments through water cannons,” said Trinidad.
Trinidad said the three incidents of harassment occurred in August, November and December.
One of these incidents, which occurred last December 10, was personally witnessed by AFP chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr.
Brawner was aboard the supply boat Unaizah Mae 1 which was subjected to dangerous maneuvers, water cannoning and ramming by a Chinese Coast Guard vessel. The boat was able to reach Ayungin despite the harassment.
However, another boat, M/L Kalayaan was not able to complete its mission as it returned to mainland Palawan after sustaining damage during the harassment.
Trinidad said Navy ships conducted 14 RoRe missions at the eight other Philippine-occupied features in the West Philippine Sea — Pag-asa, Kota, Lawak, Likas, Panata, Parola, and Patag islands; and Rizal Reef.
Trinidad said the resupply missions at the eight features were not harassed.
“All the others were unimpeded, no illegal action was conducted (by the Chinese),” said Trinidad.
Trinidad said he is not aware of any unsuccessful RoRe mission in the West Philippine Sea last year.
“Some were rescheduled or postponed due to unfavorable weather conditions or unavailability of boats,” he said.
Trinidad said two missions have been conducted so far this year, one of them at Ayungin Shoal. He said both missions were successful.
The mission at Ayungin Shoal was conducted last February 2.
Trinidad said Chinese vessels were present at the vicinity of Ayungin Shoal during the February 2 mission but they did not interfere.
“It’s not the first time that there was no interference, no illegal moves by the maritime militia, their coast guard or the PLA (People’s Liberation Army) Navy. We have had activities in the past RoRe missions that there was no interference at all,” said Trinidad.
AFP spokeswoman Col. Francel Margareth Padilla attributed the successful RoRe mission last February to ground commanders.
Padilla also said the military will not be deterred “from exercising our legal rights over maritime zones, including at Ayungin Shoal, and ensure the welfare of our men in these maritime features.”
“Your AFP remains committed to the performance of our mandate as protector of the people and the State,” said Padilla.
